Smoked Brisket Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (10-pound) beef brisket
• 1 cup Rib Rub
• Coconut vinegar, for sprinkling on the smoked meat before cooking
• 1 recipe BBQ Sauce, for serving

• Smoker
• 4 cups wood chips of choice

1. For optimal flavor, the day before (or morning of the day) you plan to smoke the meat, liberally season the brisket on all sides with the rub, using your hands to rub the spices into the meat. Wrap the meat tightly with foil lined with unbleached parchment paper and seal all the edges. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight so that the flavors can permeate the meat. If you prefer to skip this step, the meat will still have a lot of flavor.
2. Thirty minutes before you smoke the meat, soak the wood chips in water and remove the meat from the fridge. If you haven’t yet seasoned the brisket (per optional Step 1), place the meat on a clean cutting board and liberally season both sides with the rub. Let the brisket rest at room temperature until the smoker is ready.
To Smoke the Meat
3. Read the manufacturer’s directions for your smoker before you begin. There are wood, electric, propane, and charcoal smokers, and each type works differently. Start the smoker and, if your smoker came with a water bowl, add water to it. When slow-cooking meat, it is essential that you have a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the smoker. When the temperature reaches 225°F to 250°F, you can start smoking the brisket.
4. Place the meat in the smoker and secure the lid so that it is airtight and no smoke escapes. Smoke the meat for 3 hours. Every so often, check the temperature and adjust the air vents to maintain a temperature of 225°F to 250°F. Add more fuel to the smoker if needed to maintain the temperature, and add more soaked wood chips if the smoke starts to dissipate.
5. After 3 hours, remove the meat from the smoker. At this point, the meat still needs to be fully cooked at a higher temperature, which is best done on a grill or in the oven. You can either cook the entire amount now or divide the meat into portions for quick and easy meals (see Tip / Single Serving Option opposite).
6. To prepare the meat for cooking: Lay the brisket on a large sheet of foil lined with unbleached parchment paper. Generously sprinkle the meat with coconut vinegar and tightly seal the foil packet closed. Note: Make sure that there are no holes in the foil or the brisket will dry out.
7. To fully cook the brisket, preheat a grill to medium (350°F) or oven to 350°F. Place the tightly wrapped brisket on the grill or in the oven for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat reaches 195°F to 205°F (if using a grill, keep the lid closed). Serve with BBQ sauce.